Karachi Blues have better of drawn game

Centuries from Babar Hussain and Javed Mansoor gave Karachi Blues three points from a drawn match against Sialkot in Karachi.

Only 18.5 overs were possible on the first day, which ended with Sialkot 55 for 3 after they chose to bat. They resumed and collapsed to 145 all out, with left-arm spinner Faraz Ahmed and legspinner Mansoor Ahmed sharing seven wickets. Only three batsmen got into double figures, with the captain Mansoor Amjad top-scoring with 68.

Karachi Blues were in danger of losing the first-innings lead at 81 for 5 before Babar's 110, his maiden first-class century in only his second match, and wicketkeeper Javed's 116, his second century in his 55th game, put them on top. With No. 10 Faraz contributing 53, Karachi Blues declared on 344 for 8, with a lead of 199.

Karachi Blues seemed poised to push for victory when they had Sialkot 40 for 3 and then 70 for 4. But Naved Sarwar and Faisal Khan saw Sialkot through to safety, with an unbroken 106-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Sarwar finished on an unbeaten 63 off 210 balls while Faisal remained not out on 57 off 143.